Email marketing is a time-tested and cost-effective way for small business owners to spread news about their businesses to potential customers. But Gather.com contributor and marketing consultant Ely Delaney says entrepreneurs should also be prepared to send follow-up emails if customers express interest about the company.

To make those follow-up emails effective, Delaney says that small business owners need to resist the urge to create long emails filled with pictures and other clutter. The point of the follow-up emails is to give customers the information they requested. While a number of images may make the message more visually appealing, many customers will just ignore them and look for your answer.

Small business owners also need to keep their follow-up messages conversational, instead of giving a lecture about the range of the company’s products. Delaney says that business owners should visualize the customers as if they were having a cup of coffee together.

Email marketing responses can also be increased through the use of social media networks. According to a recent study, emails that contained links to social media channels had 30 percent higher click-through rates than those that didn’t.

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